Where Does Brown Begin
Scott Walker Lyrics


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To my mind, it all seemed a little strange
That the people won't do the thing they ought to
Some folks say the world ain't ever gonna change
But in my heart I believe the other folks who got to-
Who can't afford not to

The daytime's bright, the nighttime's wonderful-
And the twilight never really brings it to an end
If white is right, and black is beautiful-
Lord, where does brown begin?
Tell me people- where does brown begin?

Fire and water won't be mixing, so they say
But I've seen the steamclouds rising, high and free
Salt and pepper don't get in each other's way
They just come together, and when they don't agree-
They let each other be

The daytime's right, the nighttime wonderful-
And twilight never really brings it to an end
If white is right, and black is beautiful-




Lord, where does brown begin?
Tell me people- where does brown begin?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Scott Walker's "Where Does Brown Begin" are a commentary on racial discrimination and prejudice. The first stanza highlights a sense of frustration with the lack of progress that has been made in the fight against racism. Despite the efforts of some people, many are still not doing what they ought to. The world can seem hopeless to some, but the singer chooses to believe in the potential for change. He acknowledges that some people may not have the luxury of ignoring racism because it affects their lives more directly.


The second stanza draws attention to the arbitrary nature of racial distinctions. The singer questions why some races are considered superior to others when there is ultimately no meaningful difference between them. He uses metaphorical language to drive home his point. Fire and water are commonly thought of as being incompatible, but they can be combined to create steam. Salt and pepper are both spices that are used together to flavor food, despite their color differences. The singer suggests that humans could similarly come together despite perceived differences.


The chorus ties the song together by asking the titular question - where does brown begin? The singer challenges listeners to consider what it means to be brown, especially in relation to the ideas of whiteness and blackness. The repeated use of the word "wonderful" suggests a sense of awe and appreciation for the natural beauty of the world, but also emphasizes the wonder of unity and diversity.


Line by Line Meaning

To my mind, it all seemed a little strange
I find it strange and confusing


That the people won't do the thing they ought to
People are not doing what they are supposed to do


Some folks say the world ain't ever gonna change
Some people think that the world will never change


But in my heart I believe the other folks who got to-
But I believe the people who have no choice but to believe in change


Who can't afford not to
Who cannot risk staying stagnant


The daytime's bright, the nighttime's wonderful-
The day is bright and the night is amazing


And the twilight never really brings it to an end
And the transition between day and night never really ends


If white is right, and black is beautiful-
If being white is considered right and being black is considered beautiful


Lord, where does brown begin?
Where does the identity of brown people begin?


Tell me people- where does brown begin?
Asking people their opinion on where the identity of brown people begins


Fire and water won't be mixing, so they say
People say that fire and water cannot mix


But I've seen the steamclouds rising, high and free
But I have seen the evidence to the contrary


Salt and pepper don't get in each other's way
People of different races can coexist peacefully


They just come together, and when they don't agree-
They can come together, but when they do not agree,


They let each other be
They respect each other's differences




Contributed by Lincoln V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

charmaine prince

Love this man. Voice, looks, he had it all.
Your editing of the photos is Brilliant, well done, keeping them coming

Eddie Gutierrez

Somehow I missed knowing his incredible voice and beautiful music when he was among us. He totally captures the essence of this song. Simply awesome.

Me

You have a lot of catching up to. Enjoy

Anthony Cardott

yeah you just missed him. Don't miss THE DRIFT !!

Pilar Ruiz-Iturriaga

Me encanta. I would listen to his voice forever and ever

Elly Winterquist

What a Beautiful voice, also a Beautiful song...

Bertrand Coutens

As always perfect Scott, what marvellous voice !!!
In France black out over him.. it's true no exist a concurency , he's inégalable.

Fiona Smallman

One of my favourites by Scott....his phrasing is so perfect, such emotion....really touches the heart...love him. Thank you for this.

star traveller

Thank you for this video.
There are some photos of Scott which I haven't seen before.
Keep doing your good work.

Eliane Pitta

Oh, sweet comments! many thanks, star traveller!

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